Honeywell Technologies has introduced a new artificial intelligence platform at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, in a move aimed at improving production efficiency, reducing operational losses and increasing profitability at the Nigerian facility.
Announced on Monday, 26 October 2026, the technology, known as Forge Plant Cognition, combines industrial engineering expertise with artificial intelligence and advanced computing capabilities from NVIDIA and Dell Technologies. According to Honeywell’s announcement, the platform is designed to help refinery operators identify production bottlenecks, detect potential equipment problems and make better-informed decisions.
The company estimates that the system could generate more than $60 million in gross annual operational benefits when the refinery operates at full capacity. However, this remains a projection based on preliminary data, rather than money the refinery has already saved.
The launch places Nigeria at the centre of an emerging industrial technology development, as companies increasingly explore how AI can improve the performance of large manufacturing and energy facilities.
Also Read: Dangote’s Fortune Doubles to N36trn—Back in Top 100!
How Honeywell’s AI Platform Will Improve Dangote Refinery Operations
Forge Plant Cognition is designed to help refinery engineers understand how different processes interact and identify opportunities to improve performance. Rather than simply analysing information and producing reports, the platform combines operational data with engineering knowledge and physics-based models to support practical decisions.
In a refinery, even small inefficiencies can affect production volumes, energy consumption, equipment reliability and the value of finished products. Identifying these problems early could help operators reduce avoidable losses and get more value from existing equipment.
Honeywell says the platform will focus on three main areas: identifying opportunities to improve production and product yields, detecting emerging equipment and process problems to limit unplanned downtime, and making specialised engineering knowledge more accessible to refinery personnel.
The technology incorporates NVIDIA’s AI models and simulation capabilities, alongside Dell Technologies’ computing infrastructure. These systems are intended to help analyse operational conditions, simulate potential changes and support troubleshooting.
For Dangote, the objective is to improve the refinery’s overall performance while preparing it for a much larger production capacity. The company is pursuing an expansion from its existing nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028.
Honeywell estimates that AI-enabled optimisation could deliver operational benefits exceeding 29 cents per barrel at the Lekki facility. At full-capacity throughput, that could amount to more than $60 million annually in gross benefits, excluding implementation costs. Actual results will depend on operating conditions, utilisation, product margins and the effectiveness of the technology.
Dangote Refinery Seeks Greater Efficiency and Nigerian Technical Expertise
Beyond the prospect of financial gains, the deployment could play a role in strengthening the refinery’s technical workforce. Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals chief executive David Bird said the company selected the platform because of its potential to combine industrial expertise with AI capabilities and improve how its facilities operate.
According to Honeywell’s statement on the partnership, the technology is also expected to support the development of Nigerian engineers and operators by making specialist process knowledge available through AI-powered tools.
This could help local personnel troubleshoot operational challenges more quickly, improve decision-making and build the skills needed to manage increasingly sophisticated industrial systems. Dangote has stated its ambition to develop a workforce comprising 70 per cent Nigerians as the business expands.
The initiative is particularly relevant to Nigeria, where the long-term benefits of major industrial investments depend not only on production capacity but also on the availability of skilled local professionals who can operate and maintain complex facilities.
Nevertheless, the projected financial gains will need to be assessed against actual results after implementation. The estimated $60 million in annual benefits is not a guarantee, and the eventual outcome will depend on how effectively the platform improves operations.
Back Story: Dangote Refinery’s Expansion and Honeywell Partnership
The launch builds on a longstanding relationship between Honeywell and Dangote. The companies have been working together on refining technology, operational improvements and plans to increase production at the Lekki complex.
In April 2026, Honeywell announced plans to provide digital performance monitoring, connected services and operator training to help the refinery improve output and equipment reliability. The collaboration also supports Dangote’s wider ambition to increase refining capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, as reported by Reuters.
The latest AI deployment represents another step in that relationship, bringing advanced data analysis and industrial intelligence into the refinery’s operations.
For Nigeria, the development highlights the growing importance of technology in maximising the value of domestic energy infrastructure. If the projected improvements translate into measurable results, the platform could help Dangote strengthen operational efficiency while supporting the development of local technical expertise.
The key test, however, will be whether the promised productivity gains materialise as the refinery expands towards its ambitious production targets.
Also Read: AI and Telepathology Could Reshape Nigeria’s Healthcare System Over the Next Decade
